What are the ingredients that make Extend Nutrition products so effective? The key ingredient that makes Extend Nutrition products so effective is uncooked cornstarch. Uncooked cornstarch is a very complex, low glycemic carbohydrate that digests and converts to blood sugar very slowly. Interestingly, once corn or cornstarch is heated or cooked, as it is in most of the food products we eat containing corn, it becomes a simple, high-glycemic carbohydrate that works just the opposite, converting to blood sugar very rapidly.

In Extend Nutrition products, the uncooked cornstarch is combined with specific amounts of protein and fat to further slow the conversion to blood sugar. As a result, this unique combination – patented by Dr. Francine Kaufman, a physician specializing in metabolism – converts to blood sugar more gradually than any other product and is the only one clinically proven to help stabilize blood sugar levels for up to 9 hours.

Do other products contain these ingredients?The formula used in Extend Nutrition products is patent-protected, no other product contains this combination of ingredients shown to help stabilize blood sugar for up to 9 hours. Most other products contain carbohydrates that aren't as long-acting and complex as those in Extend Nutrition products, so they convert to blood sugar more rapidly and therefore can’t help stabilize blood sugar levels as long as Extend Nutrition products.

In what way are Extend Nutrition products better than other low-carb and sugar-free foods?Like Extend Nutrition products, most low-carb and sugar-free foods have few fast-converting (net) carbs. So when you eat them, they won’t cause a big rise in your blood sugar. But that’s where the similarity ends.

Unfortunately, other low-carb and sugar-free foods don’t contain sufficient long-acting carbohydrates to help maintain a healthy blood sugar level throughout the day or night like Extend Nutrition products. So within a couple of hours your blood sugar drops, triggering your hunger and leaving you susceptible to episodes of low blood sugar. And many low-carb products are also high in fat and cholesterol and contain trans-fats, so they are not particularly good for your heart.

The unique formula in Extend Nutrition products is patented for its ability to break down more gradually than other foods and release nutrients into your system more slowly. This slow conversion helps keep your blood sugar from rising too quickly, and continues to supply your body with the blood sugar fuel it needs to help prevent low blood sugar and keep your appetite under control for up to 9 hours. Because Extend Nutrition products contain no cholesterol or trans-fats, it’s also deliciously heart healthy.

Is the product kosher?Yes, all of our products are kosher. The kosher symbol (OU-D) can be found on the back or side of the carton and on the individual bar and bag servings as well.

What is the supervising agency that certifies Extend Nutrition products as Kosher?Extend Nutrition products are certified Kosher by the OU organization. All the ingredients are certified Kosher by this organization as well as the manufacturing plant. The link to this organization is: http://www.oukosher.org/

Is there caffeine in the Extend Nutrition chocolate products and how much?There’s a very small amount of caffeine in our Chocolate and Chocolate Peanut Butter bars. None of the other Extend Nutrition products has any caffeine in them.

Is there Potassium in your shakes and how much? Yes, the Potassium count in Extend Nutrition Shakes is between 200mg – 330mg. Which is between 6% and 9% of the daily value.

How do you count the carbs in Extend Nutrition products? Through clinically conducted continuous glucose monitoring, we have discovered that the fiber and uncooked cornstarch in our products convert so slowly they have minimal impact on blood sugar. Therefore, the net carbohydrates in our products are significantly lower than the total carbohydrates.

What is the glycemic index and glycemic load of Extend Nutrition products and why is it important? All Extend Nutrition product flavors have a low glycemic index (GI), our Extend Nutrition Bars and Extend Nutrition Crisps also have a low glycemic load (GL). The GI and GL provide good indicators of how much your blood sugar will increase within two hours of eating a particular food. This is very important to know when you’re trying to manage your blood sugar levels -- whether your goal is to better control your diabetes or manage your weight.

Unfortunately, the GI and GL only measure blood sugar response for 2 hours – the time in which most commonly eaten carbohydrates digest. But unique products like Extend Nutrition products, offer a benefit other low GI and GL foods can’t. It converts gradually to blood sugar over 7-9 hours. So they continue to help stabilize blood sugar levels long after other low-carb products have stopped.

Extend Nutrition Product

GI

GL

Extend Nutrtion Delight Bar - Peanut

32

4

Extend Nutrition Delight Bar - Chocolate

41

5

Extend Nutrition Delight Bar - Apple Cinnamon

33

4

For perspective the following ranges are considered to be low, medium and high for the glycemic index and glycemic load.

Low

Medium

High

Glycemic Index

0-55

56-69

70-100

Glycemic Load

0-10

11-19

20+

The glycemic testing on Extend Nutrition products was done by the Human Nutrition Unit at the University of Sydney in Australia -- the leader in glycemic index research and testing for over 10 years. During that time they have determined GI values for more than 350 foods. In the testing, glucose was used as the reference food, which has a glycemic index of 100.

Are Extend Nutrition products gluten-free? All Extend Nutrition Bars gluten-free. Our Extend Nutrition Crisps are made from gluten-free ingredients, but are not certified gluten-free because the manufacturing process for the Crisps hasn't been confirmed to adequately protect from gluten contamination from other products made at the facility. We have taken the following steps to confirm the gluten-free status of Extend Nutrition Bars.

All the ingredients are gluten-free.

Products were tested for gluten content using testing protocols and test systems recognized and/or approved by the following organizations: GFCO (Gluten Free Certification Organization) and CODEX and is used by the Food Allergen Research and Resource Program from the University of Nebraska (considered to be the premier source for food allergen information worldwide).

We use the ELISA RIDASCREEN® Gliadin and the RIDASCREEN® FAST Gliadin that employs the R5-antibody which is able to efficiently quantify proalmins from wheat, barley, and rye at a level of 100%.

Our test results and test methods are in compliance with Canadian, European, Australian standards for Gluten-Free foods.

Why do you use Splenda (sucralose)? Splenda (sucralose) is the most extensively studied sweetener with a long history of human consumption. It is backed by over 100 safety studies over 20 years and is registered in over 80 countries worldwide.

Note that all of our coated bar flavors use Stevia, an all-natural sweetener.

Why do you use Stevia? Stevia is a naturally occurring, zero calorie sweetener with a number of health benefits that have been confirmed in human studies. Since Stevia doesn’t add calories or affect blood sugar levels, it’s an ideal sugar-substitute for those looking to manage diabetes and/or control their weight.

What is Chocolate Liquor? Is it alcohol?Chocolate liquor is the ground up center (nib) of the cocoa bean (otherwise known as unsweetened chocolate) in a smooth, liquid state. It contains no alcohol.

Does the glycerin in Extend Nutrition products contain animal fat?

No. Extend Nutrition products are made with vegetable sources for glycerin, there is no animal content in the glycerin used in Extend Bars, Crisps or Shakes. The glycerin used in Extend Nutrition products is, in fact, kosher!

Is the soy flour used whole grain or enriched? The soy flour used in our products is whole grain and is not enriched.

Milk protein and whey protein are ingredients in some of the Extend Nutrition products. How lactose free are Extend Nutrition products?There is less than 0.5 grams of lactose per serving in Extend Nutrition products that contain a milk derived ingredient (milk protein isolate, whey protein isolate). Our products that do not have any milk derived ingredients have 0.0 grams of lactose per serving.

I’m in recovery, what is sugar alcohol? Will it affect my recovery?No. Sugar alcohol is not a liquor or alcohol of sort. Neither is it sugar. Sugar alcohol is a form of sweetener such as Maltitol, most frequently used in food products that digest and convert to glucose more slowly than sucrose (table sugar). Maltitol does not spike your blood sugar and is much healthier for your system.